Monday, 18 November 2013

Now I know I wear my heart on my sleeve and people can tell
how I’m feeling just by looking at me. I’ve suffered this all my life but I
think it’s what makes me me.

Now since last week, I’ve been mulling something over in my
head and I really need to get it off my chest. It’s to do with human nature and
to be honest it’s always annoyed me.

You may know that I come from a
showman’s family and as such am part of a close knit community. I spent the
formative years of my life settled down in Seaside towns looking after Arcades
and Bingos and left home at 20 and went travelling on fairgrounds.

Now what’s bugging me today revolves about a few events that
happened to me between the ages of 20 and 21 and were to do with lorries,
engines and the like.

Last week, I went to a surprise 50th birthday
party for a showman that I’ve known for years. It’s always good to see old
friends, and yet I only stayed for around 2 hours and then came home.

Why? Because I’m sick of being reminded of things that
happened 30 odd years ago that seem to be all that certain people remember
about me. Oh yes it was so funny wasn’t it? Maybe if I was in your shoes, but
personally I’m sick of hearing about it. Oh and yes, I love having the mickey taken
out of me. It’s one of the joys of my life….yeah sure.

Do you know what? I’ve lived a full life since then and yet
they only seem to be able to talk about my mishaps. Now it’s not even that big
a thing, but I’ll tell you what, I’ve achieved loads of things since then and
what’s more I’ll continue to do so. But to say it doesn't grate would be an understatement.

It’s probably why I tend to keep myself to myself. I’ve
always found that people love to take the mickey or run people down. Why is that?

I do believe I’m a sensitive soul at heart, and that makes me
vulnerable to certain things, but I like who I am, and don’t feel the need to
take the crap anymore.

The funny thing is that the same people who like to remind
me of my mishaps, are supposedly the people I’ve always called my friends. I’m beginning to wonder whether I need new ones!

Sunday, 17 November 2013

I really didn't appreciate this album when it came out. But then again I was only 11 at the time. I have to say though hearing songs like 'Jeepster ', 'Hot Love' and 'Get It On' (by the way it's not 'Bang A Gong') takes me back to a time when I was starting to feel my feet musically.

I'd grown up listening to my Dad's reel to reel tapes with the hits of the late 50s and early 60s, and then my brother's forays into the world of Motown, Stax and Atlantic in the mid 60s, and by the time the 70s rolled around I was beginning to get an idea of what my music was.

Obviously I'd been influenced the the music I'd heard but all of a sudden I was hearing music that hadn't been theirs. One thing I discovered was that I loved all sorts of songs, but I was more of a singles kid. The only albums I bought were compilations of greatest hits.

Singles wise, I was loving Freda Payne, Chairmen Of The Board and Stevie Wonder. But Lee Marvin's Wandrin' Star was a favourite too. And then Glam started! I didn't know it as Glam then,

As my Dad said - 'Have you seen those soppy twats dressed like women?' And I went looking!

But I digress...

Back to the album.

The first time I heard it was in 1972 at a fairground in Crowthorne. I come from a fairground family and was visiting my sister. I was walking past David Traylen's Octopus, and it was playing on the ride.

It sounded great hearing it out of big speakers and I had to listen to it all because I wanted to hear the songs I knew.

I decided I had to buy it and when I went home I went down to the local record shop and forked out my money to get it.

And since then I've played it quite a bit. Not recently though. In fact not in ages.

I don't think it's as good as The Slider, but as I listen to it now, it brings back loads of memories from back then,

I never did get 'glammed up', but I can remember many that did.

Marc Bolan was more talented than I thought he was back then and this album sounds so good 40 odd years after it was recorded.

Friday, 27 September 2013

I'm not the best blogger in the world as there's always something I've got to do that seems to take precedence over sharing my thoughts. Oh yes, and I forgot my password to get into the account!

So what do I want to share with you? Well let me start by talking about terrestrial radio and how I feel that people that love what I call 'oldies' are being left behind.

What do I mean? Well in this day and age, 'Oldies' seem to have morphed into 'Classic Hits' and what we appear to be seeing is a moving on from the 'Oldies' of the 50s, 60s and 70s, to the 'Classic Hits' of the 80s, 90s and 00s.

I understand that time moves on, but I can't believe how little of the music that changed life for generations to follow. I feel left out if I listen to radio and can't hear not only the classics from the 'Oldies' era, but what I call the 'Forgotten 45s' either.

I read the following article earlier today and it made me think about things have changed.

And although I had only read it today, I have been thinking along the same lines for ages. And that's why I put together my Rewind Central music channel/radio station.

Not only do my shows get played on the station on a daily basis, but I've added a jukebox to it,and on the jukebox, you'll hear some of the greatest hits of the 50s to the 80s as well as those long forgotten 45s.

As a snapshot of what gets played on there, here's the songs that have been playing whilst I've been writing this blog.

Dolly Parton - Here You Come Again

Carole King - It's Too Late

Junior - Mama Used To Say

Carly Simon - Why

Meco - Star Wars-Cantina Band

Rock A Teens - Woo Hoo

Monkees - Alternate title

Freda Payne - Band Of Gold

Stevie Wonder - More Than a Dream

Bobby Rydell - Forget Him

Keith Emerson - Honky Tonky Train Blues

Randy & The Rainbows - Denise

Whispers - Mother For My Children

Barry White - Honey Please Can't You See

As you can see it's a pretty varied list of songs.

And that's what I'm looking for in a station. I'd like to think I'm not the only one. We launched Rewind Central at the end of May, and it's growing month on month, not at the speed of light, but steadily.

Also unlike many stations out there today, we don't have a playlist of around 300 records. We've over 2000 on the jukebox and we update and change various songs on a weekly basis. What that means is that you're going to hear a whole range of songs.

During August we changed the whole jukebox and played only 'Forgotten 45s'. People were getting in contact and leaving nice messages about what we were playing.

I can't believe that radio is slowly moving away the formative era of 'Rock 'n' Roll', 'The Swinging 60s' and 'The Sensational 70s' and playing only the same old songs from those eras if they play them at all.

I have to admit I'm very nostalgic and love to look back. So much so I've developed a facebook page to run alongside the channel, and it takes a loving look back at the culture of those eras. You'll find photos that will have you looking back on your own life and smiling to yourself.

Feel free to climb on board as we take the train back in time. Great music and great memories. They're all there!

I've lots of plans for Rewind Central and I'm aiming to put them in place over the coming months.

In fact why not subscribe to the mailing list and we'll keep you up to date with what's happening